Strangers No More: A Love Story

By MK Lam

This short tender romance between a beautiful girl Khushi Gupta and handsome tycoon Arjun Rathore explores the dynamics of evolving relationships between two strangers. Arjun is tormented by his past and Khushi wonders if her pursuit of love is just a foolish dream.

Will these two strangers, married to one another, find love and happiness?

• Language: English
• Publisher: MK Lam
• Release date: Nov 11, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310705168

Book preview

Chapter 1: Repercussions

The wound from a fire can heal quickly but the wound from a harsh tongue can never heal

Tirukkural, ancient Tamil treatise

Idiot!

The word kept echoing in her head as she rolled out the rotis. Idiot! Was she really an idiot? When Arjun had shouted at her, she was too shocked to react. He had accused her of being possessive, even neurotic before he turned his back to her.

The pain over being called an idiot festered and gnawed at her insides. She tried to calm down. Neither the brisk walk around the neighbourhood nor browsing the Internet for the latest scoop on her favourite movie star had helped.

It was such a silly issue to begin with. A day earlier Arjun’s sister Anu and her friend Lekha had returned home from one of their marathon shopping expeditions. When Lekha had shown her the green designer sari, Khushi had given her a perfunctory smile. The designer clothes, jewels, Gucci and Prada handbags were meaningless to her.

But when Lekha gushed, It was so sweet of Arjun to buy this sari for me – he knows that green is my favourite colour! Khushi bristled. As Lekha continued in the same vein Khushi’s irritation increased.

Didn’t her husband realize that Lekha had never gotten over her crush on him? How could men be so clueless?

It was embarassing when Lekha used to tag along wherever I went, Arjun had confided to Khushi, when reminiscing about his teen years. Her sister was Anu’s best friend in college.

Khushi couldn’t keep her voice from trembling that evening when she was alone with Arjun.

Why did you pay for Lekha’s sari? How do you think I felt when I heard about it?

But Arjun had clammed up with a belligerent look on his face and didn’t answer.

Arjun? she had persisted.

He had then lost his temper.

Is that what you think happened today? Are you doubting me Khushi?

The conversation went downhill from that moment with Arjun screaming. That’s when he’d flung the word that had been ringing in her ears since. Idiot!

Khushi had tossed